What The Possible Texas Cybertruck Terafactory Looks Like Right Now

[Mini2nut]

I visualize robotic machines scoring and bending 3mm stainless steel sheets origami style. The other line has robotic TIG machines welding the bent stainless steel to the inner structure. The assembly plant is going to be awesome!

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[hridge2020]

Tesla is closing in on incentive package for factory in Austin

Fred Lambert
- Jun. 15th 2020 3:37 pm

Now we learn that Travis County, where Austin is located, is reportedly considering an incentive package for the factory (via Statesman):

The Travis County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss the terms of the potential incentives deal in an executive session on Tuesday, according to people with knowledge of the proceedings. A vote is expected in the coming weeks.

It’s currently unknown what kind of incentives they are planning to vote on, but Electrek has learned that Tesla has been in communication with the local government for months.
In May, Travis County commissioners lifted a moratorium on economic incentives for two months — just in time to make a deal with Tesla.




Austin Texas

 

[Mini2nut]

Tesla will need to have shovels in the ground by September to meet a Q4, 2021 production timeline.

 

[Ehninger1212]

Tesla will need to have shovels in the ground by September to meet a Q4, 2021 production timeline.

Seems like a reasonable estimation based on Teslas aim to be producing model Y's from Berlin by July 2021. I believe they broke ground around June 1st.

 

[BoomTrooper]

https://electrek.co/2020/06/15/tesla-closing-in-incentive-package-factory-austin/

From the article :

"Now we learn that Travis County, where Austin is located, is reportedly considering an incentive package for the factory (via Statesman):

So I'm a bit confused about the location of the proposed GIGAFACTORY. Hutto, Tx is located in Williamson County(Georgetown is the county seat), which borders Travis County to the south. Hutto is not that far from the Travis County border but not close enough to be considered in Travis County.

Does anyone have any clarification on this?


From Austin-Statesman article:

"The new facility — which Tesla calls a “gigafactory” — would build Tesla’s upcoming Cybertruck electric pickup, as well as be a second site to build the Model Y SUV. It reportedly would be Tesla’s biggest facility, surpassing the company’s vehicle assembly factory in Fremont, Calif., that employs 10,000 people and its battery factory in Reno, Nev., that has 6,500 workers."

Going to be a huuuuge factory.

Agreed and that actually makes me wonder, is the Hutto site actually NOT the possible location of the factory? I'd find it extremely hard to believe that they are discussing incentives with Travis county when the Hutto site is in Williamson, like you said. I live in Travis County right near the Williamson/Travis County line near the possible Hutto location.

I have 2 theories:
1) If in fact Travis County is negotiating with Tesla, I'd suspect that the plot of land is either somewhere in the vicinity of the SH130 Toll and Austin Executive Airport OR near SH130 and 290 in a the City of Manor (there's a rail line that runs parallel to and just south of 290!). Both of these general areas are seem to be the only real options to build a factory of this size and be located close to major access points of travel that can get you on the road to any other major city in the state.
2) Just because Travis County is discussing an incentives package does not mean anything really. They are just like all of the other counties and states to do so. Williamson could have done the same and it just wasn't reported. We have some words from a UAW rep already trying to get involved, but does that really mean anything? I'd suspect that Williamson County is playing this extremely close to the vest and aren't just going to let Travis County land this deal without a fight and competitive package themselves.

I'm standing by like the rest of you with my popcorn ready!

 

[TruckElectric]

I have 2 theories:
1) If in fact Travis County is negotiating with Tesla, I'd suspect that the plot of land is either somewhere in the vicinity of the SH130 Toll and Austin Executive Airport OR near SH130 and 290 in a the City of Manor (there's a rail line that runs parallel to and just south of 290!). Both of these general areas are seem to be the only real options to build a factory of this size and be located close to major access points of travel that can get you on the road to any other major city in the state.
2) Just because Travis County is discussing an incentives package does not mean anything really. They are just like all of the other counties and states to do so. Williamson could have done the same and it just wasn't reported. We have some words from a UAW rep already trying to get involved, but does that really mean anything? I'd suspect that Williamson County is playing this extremely close to the vest and aren't just going to let Travis County land this deal without a fight and competitive package themselves.

I like those theories.

I have another theory. Now I don't want to get too speculative, but......

Elon has stated he is moving Tesla HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada from California.
It could be possible that Elon is planning to move Tesla's HQ to Austin and that the reporting of Travis County incentives deal is for the HQ and not the Gigafactory/Terafactory. The Hutto deal could still be in play as well but with Willamsom County.

Toyota did something similar a few yrs back. First they built the TMMTX plant in San Antonio in 2003 and then announced their move of North American HQ(TMNA) from Torrance, CA to Plano, TX in 2014 and opened the new $1B HQ in 2017.

Austin would be a good fit for the new Tesla HQ and Hutto for the new Gigafactory! ?

 

[hridge2020]

 

[BoomTrooper]

I like those theories.

I have another theory. Now I don't want to get too speculative, but......

Elon has stated he is moving Tesla HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada from California.
It could be possible that Elon is planning to move Tesla's HQ to Austin and that the reporting of Travis County incentives deal is for the HQ and not the Gigafactory/Terafactory. The Hutto deal could still be in play as well but with Willamsom County.

Toyota did something similar a few yrs back. First they built the TMMTX plant in San Antonio in 2003 and then announced their move of North American HQ(TMNA) from Torrance, CA to Plano, TX in 2014 and opened the new $1B HQ in 2017.

Austin would be a good it for the new Tesla HQ and Hutto for the new Gigafactory! ?

That makes total sense too! Most of the engineering talent in the Austin area is in fact within Travis County. More companies have started making their way further north in the area but not a lot really in Williamson by any stretch compared to Travis. Put HQ where engineering/software is and put the factory up the road in Hutto. Sounds feasible to me!

 

[Mini2nut]

Something is in the works. I think the official announcement will different from what everyone is expecting. Tip: moving the Fremont assembly plant out of CA would be feasible since all of the factory employees are non-union.

 

[TruckElectric]

Something is in the works. I think the official announcement will different from what everyone is expecting. Tip: moving the Fremont assembly plant out of CA would be feasible since all of the factory employees are non-union.

I doubt they will move the Fremont factory out of CA. They are maxed out as far as capacity, they need that factory to keep up with demand.

 

[BoomTrooper]

Just posted a new thread based on an article released this morning from the Austin American Statesman that reveals the actual location of the Travis County site. It's actually even further south on SH130 than we discussed in our previous thread, but nonetheless still in this major highway. Search "Harold Green Road, Austin, TX" in Google Maps to see the location. Basically, the article states that the Del Valle school board is also working on the package to approve almost $70 million in tax break incentives over 10 years for Tesla to bring the factory there, basically amounting to just over $1m a year in taxes for the period. 10 years = just over $10m, compared to what they would actually be paying for the real value of the property, saving them almost $70m in property taxes and maintenance costs for the period. Here's the link to the article.

https://www-statesman-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.statesman.com/business/20200618/tesla-could-get-more-than-60-million-in-tax-breaks-to-choose-site-in-travis-county?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&template=ampart&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fbusiness%2F20200618%2Ftesla-could-get-more-than-60-million-in-tax-breaks-to-choose-site-in-travis-county

 

[CyberCop]

Just posted a new thread based on an article released this morning from the Austin American Statesman that reveals the actual location of the Travis County site. It's actually even further south on SH130 than we discussed in our previous thread, but nonetheless still in this major highway. Search "Harold Green Road, Austin, TX" in Google Maps to see the location. Basically, the article states that the Del Valle school board is also working on the package to approve almost $70 million in tax break incentives over 10 years for Tesla to bring the factory there, basically amounting to just over $1m a year in taxes for the period. 10 years = just over $10m, compared to what they would actually be paying for the real value of the property, saving them almost $70m in property taxes and maintenance costs for the period. Here's the link to the article.

https://www-statesman-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.statesman.com/business/20200618/tesla-could-get-more-than-60-million-in-tax-breaks-to-choose-site-in-travis-county?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&template=ampart&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fbusiness%2F20200618%2Ftesla-could-get-more-than-60-million-in-tax-breaks-to-choose-site-in-travis-county

Very good news, thanks for the update...

 

[BoomTrooper]

Very good news, thanks for the update...

No problem! Looking at both sites, my personal opinion is that the Hutto site would still be the better fit. It's more accessible, would take a lot less prep time for the site, and it can still have a pick of talent from all over the Austin area.

The Del Valle site is just in a place where I personally know people that just don't like driving the route(s) to get to that part of town, even if they already live in the downtown area or even south. This is also in a stretch of SH130 that is usually backed up whenever there is an accident. SH130 has the highest posted US speed limit at 85mph and I'm sure this area is at least 80mph. When it rains, this sucker is backed up MILES.

Best of luck to Tesla and we'll see how this plays out!

 

[VolklKatana]

Here is the presentation that is being given to leaders in the Austin area today complete with map of factory area:
https://www.kxan.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/06/Item-18-Backup-6-23-2020.pdf

 

[Mini2nut]

My Tesla predictions;

-Texas will be the new location for the CT factory
-Texas will be the new HQ location
-Tesla will pull out of the aging Fremont assembly plant (1962) within the next 5 years and say goodbye to Commiefornia forever. All Tesla vehicles will be built in TX
-SpaceX will relocate to Texas to be closer to their Boca Chica facility